Opera at Jimbour

Opera at Jimbour

Franz Lehάr's The Merry Widow

Queensland Music Festival partnered with Opera Queensland for festival favourite, Opera at Jimbour.

Now one of Queensland’s truly iconic musical performances, Opera at Jimbour attracted audiences in the thousands to the fantastic location of Jimbour Station. Where else could you picnic with a magnificent sandstone mansion in the background, listening to opera!

In 2017, Opera at Jimbour was a semi-staged presentation of Franz Lehár’s bubbly operetta The Merry Widow (Die Lustige Witwe) featuring the irrepressible Emily Burke in the title role, and Australia’s favourite leading man David Hobson as Count Danilo.

They were joined by Hayley Sugars and Virgilio Marino as secret lovers Camille and Valencienne, and some of Queensland’s leading opera performers, with the Queensland Conservatorium Orchestra and Opera Queensland’s Toowoomba Community Chorus.

The Merry Widow is the fabulously wealthy Hannah Glawari, a former commoner who has been left a huge fortune by her aristocratic, recently deceased husband. Now back in her impoverished home country, she finds herself the center of attention for dozens of suitors (but not the one she truly desires, her bad-boy ex, Count Danilo). Eventually, Hannah makes Danilo bury his pride and admit he’s still in love with her, and on a magical night in Paris, the two fall into each other’s arms…

The Merry Widow is full of romance and wonderful popular melodies including “Vilia”, “You’ll Find Me at Maxim’s”, and the haunting “Merry Widow Waltz”.

And this year everyone got to sing in a pre-show rehearsal, learning the words and music, and joining in the “Vilia” chorus. And following the success of Fledermaus in 2015, there was another chance to waltz the afternoon away in the world’s biggest ballroom!

There’s no event quite like Opera at Jimbour.

If you’re looking to stay in the Western Downs, a list of accommodation providers can be found here. Chinchilla, Bell, Jandowae and Kaimkillenbun are all townships that are close to the event if you are unable to find accommodation in Dalby.

Opera At Jimbour was presented by Queensland Music Festival, Western Downs Regional Council, Opera Queensland and Russell Pastoral.

Major Partners

Silver Partners

Bronze Partner

The Queensland Government was proud to support Opera at Jimbour 2017 as part of Tourism and Events Queensland’s It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar.